The Eternal Clear
by G. Sun
Summary: We find one of our heroines in a painful predicament. What can our defenseless Mia do when the entire world raises their daggers at her? Does she have the power to keep fighting? Read after INKLINGS OF SOMETHING MORE.
1. Chapter 1

**According to Aristotle, our plot should be winding down after the incident in the prior story. But I can do what I want, so enjoy.**

How mad are they going to be at me? Something tells me that Master Wisp and Master Shade are really angry at me for "betraying" them. Even if they told me that they weren't mad, I could feel it, the villagers feel it too. Well I don't know that, I haven't been outside the inn since that morning.

Besides that, everyone in the village treats me a little bit differently-some glare at me like they used to do back home, others give me a pat on the back, and the rest smile at me. But everyone seems to still be focused on the situation at hand: the missing Wisp from the temple. "Mr. Daniel, did you hear anything about the Wisp everyone's talking about?" I ask when I catch him off-guard heading towards the temple. He has been ignoring me for a while now, and it's only because he still feels bad about tying me up, even though I've already accepted his apology.

"No Mia, nothing at all. But here's what I don't get-if Shade didn't do anything to them, then who did? And why kill that other monk too?" he sighs hopelessly.

"I'm not sure." I haven't been to the temple or the forest in two days, I wonder what's going on between Master Wisp and Master Shade. Hopefully they are no longer at each other's throats. The hall of the temple seems desolate and depressing without the little Wisp floating around, brightening up the hallways. Maybe I should finally talk to Master Wisp and see if I can help her in finding them. That would help me get on her good side and it will make everyone a little bit hopeful.

I stand by the door, summoning the courage to talk to Master Wisp after all that's happened. It has to be done sometime Mia, so just open the door and be polite. Remember to apologize again. Tentatively, my fingers tap on the door, then when I don't hear an answer, I push the door open. "I'm sorry for intruding but…"

The dark, private training room is as empty as the hallway. "Master Wisp?" She is here all the time, I wonder what makes today so different. "Then maybe Master Shade would know something about them?" I probably shouldn't get involved but my gut feeling tells me that I really should. Besides, I spent two days avoiding both of them and I shouldn't be afraid of things that can't hurt me.

* * *

"I never would have imagined that you of all spirits would summon me," I remark as I emerge from a tall tree shadow. "I already have a premonition of what this conversation is about."

"With that girl here, you should have realized that we would be coming together," she says. "I've already begun to feel the side effects of her presence, and I can't be the only one."

"You are correct." Day by day, my powers began to deteriorate and I couldn't bring myself to tell her that. "Although I'm sure she is oblivious to her nature."

"Oblivious or not, she is poses as a threat to our existence," she replies sharply, raising her crystal-formed arm to the sky. She lowers it and wistfully adds, "I still can't believe that after all these years-they stayed together for so long."

"That is what love is." Wisp rolls her eyes, leaning against the gate of the village. "And those two were deeply in love. I digress, I do agree with you for once."

"Then how are we to deal with her? The longer she lingers in this world, the weaker we will become. The sooner the better." Her bluntness strikes me as shocking. The only other time she was direct and callous was before the elopement.

"I am confirming everything you're saying to be true, however-"

"Don't tell me you've grown soft. We have to eliminate her Shade, you know that," berates Wisp noisily. "There aren't many options for us to choose from. I know you felt that pang of weakness when Mia interfered the other day-you must be feeling it now."

"I cannot lie and say that I am not," I confess, rubbing my aching wrists, knowing that it will do nothing to cease the pain gradually traveling through my newly-formed body. "She's affecting me right now and we do have to take care of this problem as soon as possible." Talking to Mia like a young adult has made me see her in a different light. I had never thought of her as an abomination and when I do, I curse myself. She has so much of her father's personality within her: naivety, rashness, lack of confidence, and unwavering benevolence-how could anyone hate that?

A soft whimper turns our heads to the fence. Wisp removes herself from it. "Who's there?" I demand while pulling the wooden gate open. Someone eavesdropping-human is not what I need. The teary-eyed girl is not the one I want to see. She shivers when I mention her name, "Mia."

"Mia," Wisp steps toward the pain-stricken youth, ignoring her obvious look of horror. "I presume you heard our discussion. It really bothers me and Shade to this to you."

"This is not-" her frightened eyes tell me that she isn't going to listen to me, or Wisp for that matter. She bites her lip, trying not to sob in front of us-her mother did that. Taking a wary step forward, I ask, "Are you listening?"

"Don't-!" she cries out while she bypasses me and takes off like a fleeting Jinn spirit into the forest.

"Wait!" In an instance the girl is lost in the shadows of the Dark Forest.

* * *

I'm not going to let either of them hurt me! Of course they wanted to kill me-I didn't tell either of them the truth and raised my hands to both of them. I thought maybe Master Shade would understand-no, I was wrong. So, so wrong. Is there no one in _any_ world I can trust?

_I stopped when I saw the wooden fence from afar. Master Shade was outside and I doubted he really wanted to see me again after that incident. Maybe I should have just turned around and go back inside. "No." My own firmness startled me. If I could seek out-or try to-Master Wisp, I could do this, too. If Seth were here, he'd say something like, "Quit being a chicken and just do it already." With newfound courage, I hurried to the wooden fence and put my hand on it to push it open, but I halted when I heard the familiar voices. At first I assumed it was Michele complaining about my actions the other day, but it became clear that it was a woman speaking._

"_Then how are we to deal with her? The longer she lingers in this world, the weaker we will become. The sooner the better." That was Master Wisp's voice, what was she doing outside the village?_

"_I am confirming everything you're saying to be true, however-" Now Master Shade? They are _together_? Talking about who? I can't eavesdrop on them, that's simply wrong. Although I do want to know who this girl is-wait, it couldn't have been me? I didn't upset them that much when I stopped them, I couldn't have. _

"_Don't tell me you've grown soft. We have to eliminate her Shade, you know that," Master Wisp had never sounded more earnest than now. And a little desperate. "There aren't many options for us to choose from. I know you felt that pang of weakness when Mia interfered the other day-you must be feeling it now."_

_I leaned on the fence for support, fearing I'm going to pass out. It's me. _Me._ "I cannot lie and say that I am not," admitted Master Shade sadly. "She's affecting me right now and we do have to take care of this problem as soon as possible." An unfamiliar sound from the depths of my chest emerged. It could have been a squeak, a scream, a shout-I didn't know what it was. I immediately cover my mouth. "Who's there?" When the fence door slowly moved toward me, I backed up, coming face-to-face with Master Shade. "Mia?"_

_At that moment, I wished that wasn't my name. "Mia. I presume you heard our discussion. It really bothers me and Shade to this to you." They were going to end my life, here and now. Am I truly alone in this world? Everyone's voices became muffled and suppressed, overshadowed by my thoughts of infinite loneliness. My parents and my only friend both deserted me. Neither of them wanted me around, just like everyone else. Whatever Master Shade was saying, I blocked it out._

"_Don't." Next thing I knew, I ran away._

That's all I'm good for-running away. Since I was a kid, all I did was run away from the people who hated me and wanted me to be sent away. Even after they had cut off my hair, I didn't fight them, I just ran away. I was too scared, like I am now. Everyone's like Seth-they want you to be comfortable around them and they'll treat you kindly but then they want to hurt you until you have too many holes in your heart to harm anymore. My tears roll off my cheeks as the wind buffets my face harshly. Don't stop, don't stop-they'll get you. I have to keep running, that's all I'm good for.

When I reach a clearing without any more trees, I realize that I'm far from the village. I don't even know how far I ran, but I just know I'm out of that sullen forest. I drop to my knees, clutching onto a damp rock and let my tears cascade like torrential waterfalls. I try not to make too much noise, but I can't control myself when I'm alone.

* * *

"Do you think she left the Dark Forest?" Wisp wonders, looking down at the piles of unkempt leaves that swallow the ground, the traces of her obvious presence.

"She could run," my memory dives back to eleven years ago for five seconds. Even as a child, she was nimble on her feet. "We should check outside the forest." We hover over the leaves, hurrying to find Mia. I wish that it didn't have to be like this, I want to keep her alive. But that seems impossible at the strength her power is growing. We quickly reach the Eternal Clear; the area named after the legend that if one stares off into the distance, they would see the entire world. In reality, all you can see is the endless horizon. "Something tells me she's stopped here."

"I don't sense her nearby at all Shade. All I sense is your malodorous Darkness."

"All I sense your nauseating Light."


	2. Chapter 2

After I finish sobbing and rub the remaining tears off my face, I rise from the rock. "Where am I?" This grey abyss has suddenly become my new setting. The grass, the path, even the rock I was just weeping on is gone as if my eyes deceived me earlier.

"Help." The faint word astonishes me, seeing no one in sight. I definitely didn't say that either, there isn't anyone else here.

"Hello?"

"Help." I glance around frantically, anxious to discover the source of feeble and distant voice. Yet, it simply keeps repeating as I remain lost. "Help."

I walk to the left. "Help." I step to the right. "Help."

"Where are you?" I ask loudly. "Where are you?"

"Help," the voice continues. I'm starting to get a little scared. What am I even doing in this place? Maybe I went to another world and I just don't know it. That makes very little sense Mia, why, oh why, are you so stupid? I shouldn't have ran away from them. Then they would have struck me down and I don't have to feel as if there are glass shards in my heart and I wouldn't be afraid anymore.

"Who are you?" when nobody responds, I say, "Please tell me where you are so that I can help you."

"Help. _Us_," the voice becomes a choir of voices and are lot less feeble than before. Now they are clear and everywhere. "Save us!" Something dark behind me makes me skip back; when I turn it's just my shadow. It stands tall and proudly, unlike me who always cowers and run away. Why can't I be more like it? _"Fear the…"_

"What?"

"Fear…" a new voice responds.

"Tell me where I am. I can get you out of here!" I can feel my doubt coil my assurance.

"Beast," states another vaguely. "Between-Light-Dark."

"Help us please."

"Help."

Like something out of a movie, my shadow plucks itself from my shoes and seemingly falls into the grey abyss. It continues to descend until it's out of sight but I still back up anyway. A black bob, where my former shadow sunk into the abyss, rises from beneath me and starts to surface. The disconcerting voices' scream in my ears, "Help us! Help."

"We are one."

"Help."

"Fear the shadow."

"Pain, pain!"

The blob surfaces completely. My jaw drops in amazement and fear.

"Help us!"

"Light-!"

"Help!"

What if I'm too afraid? What if I fail?

"The Dark."

"Fear not."

The grotesque blob stands over my head like a fat palm tree. Its beady, yellow eyes stare into my emerald one. I want to scream when I see what's in its pores, but my paralysis renders me silent. The blob becomes more defined, bulkier and intimidating. Across its horizontal, oblong body are blue lights and purple orbs; as I peer closer, they are Wisp and Shade spirits trapped in it. They must be the ones telling me to help them. I reach for my bow staff, slowly pulling it out so that I don't alarm whatever monster this is. The choir of fearful voices cheer me on.

The monster whips its tentacles directly at me. I jump to the side, landing on my side before quickly getting to my feet. As I run to its backside, I get a quick glimpse of the gaping heart-shaped hole embedded on its calves. Suddenly, I remember the black creatures that came to Moonlight Beach-those distinctive yellow eyes and tar skin. This thing might be related to the things that took my home away from me-Heartless. I swing at one of its stubby calves-the staff swings through its gaping hole and hits the surrounding skin. Abruptly, a tentacle jabs me in the chest, repelling me on my back. I grunt as I struggle to get up, rubbing my throbbing chest. Every time I breathe, it hurts a lot.

"Help," the spirits plead as the Heartless approaches me like a turtle with four of its legs working in sync. While pointing the tip of the staff at it, a Light Sphere emerges from the tip and is launched at the approaching Heartless. The sphere is absorbed by its body, just as the Wisp spirits' bodies begin to glow eerily; they moan in response.

"If that doesn't work," I launch a Dark sphere at the creature of Darkness and it's devoured, this time, the Shade spirits groan in pain. How can I fight it when neither Darkness nor Light works? I lunge at it with both hands on wooden staff, grunt exasperatedly, and then I try buffeting it anywhere in my reach but its tentacle latches onto the staff. It becomes a struggle to snatch my staff back. "Let go!" I shout angrily. In response, the tentacle lifts me from the ground and continuously slams me like a basketball. After the fifth slam, I let go and everything around me becomes a grey haze.

Was all my training for nothing? Am I going to die here? Seth would be happy to see me like this. No, he wouldn't-he'd want to do this to me himself. He'd sneer and taunt me, "If you can't even kill this, what makes you think you can survive me?" And he's…right. _He's always right_. This Heartless is going to be the death of me.

"Help us." The chaotic tones unite as one chorus. "Mia, help us. Don't let the Heartless win." There's nothing I can do. "Help us. Kill the Heartless."

I'm too fragile. "Please," they beg.

I don't think I'm strong enough. I'm sorry. "One that walks in between, save us." Why can't I save these spirits? Their pleas are making my chest hurt, or maybe that's because of the Heartless' stomping. A fabricated image of Seth stands over my head, his face the same way it was the day he abandoned me. He shakes his head.

"How pathetic." My fists curl into angry balls. "Killing you will be so much easier than I thought." With a quiet grunt, I get to my feet and look around for the bow staff. When I spot it, I rush towards it, snatch it off the "ground" and face the Heartless again boldly. Its sticky tentacle wraps around my ankle, yanking me briskly towards it. As the spirits' pleas ring in my ears, the Heartless' mouth opens, Darkness seeping from it as I hang upside down. I grimace at the sickening stench. If I'm going to die, I'll die by Seth's hands and no one else's. Its mouth is like a gaping hole filled with nothing but the bad Darkness that Master Shade told me I didn't have. Even through all the chaos, I can hear my heart pound impatiently against my ribs as I'm almost inside. Instantly, I shove the staff deep into the Heartless' firm roof. Violet aura seeps out uncontrollably.

An ear-splitting wail erupts from its "throat". Its inside turns stale brown like the dead leaves by the village and convulses wildly while I still remain in its grasp above the ground. The scream from my own throat is covered by the Heartless' painful shriek. The final thing I see before my pain and exhaustion take hold of my body is an awesome yellow light and violet explosion. The last thing I hear is the Heartless' wail and the spirits clearly whispering "Thank you". The final thing I feel before darkness blankets my sight is something warm and cold simultaneously passing through my chest as agony jolts throughout my body.

* * *

A pillar of Darkness and Light erupts from the ground in front of me and Wisp. As I look up, I could see my fellow Shade spirits spiraling upward before flying past me and into the Dark Forest. The bright Wisp approach their leader gleefully, dancing around her.

"You are all fine?" she asks them as more surround her. My kin float to me, circulating joyfully.

"My Shade, what has happened?" I inquire as they dance around me. A blue blur zooms between me and Wisp, crashing into a tree. The blur turns out as Mia, whose eyes roll back and shut from sheer exhaustion. A Wisp and Shade pass through her as they fly into the forest. Her staff bow bangs against the ground, slowly rolling down the slope towards us.

"Mia!" Wisp and I exclaim as we approach the unconscious human. I place my hand on her shoulder and shake her gently while Wisp puts her Healing Touch "hand" on her chest. "My Light is not healing her. But she isn't dead."

"And she _won't_ be," I reply firmly, glaring at Wisp. "I refuse to harm her and if you do, any alliance we have will cease immediately." I made a promise to him years ago that I would protect her and I broke it-it won't be the same this time. Wisp senses my resolution and sighs reluctantly.

* * *

It takes all of my strength to open my eyes, but when I do, the pain that had a hold of me before is gone. Slowly, the brown blurriness becomes defined and turns into sturdy walls. Is this-the inn? Yes, it seems like the inn.

"You're awake now," the familiarity in the voice startles me. Why do I see her-of all people? "How are you feeling?" I used to like listening to my mom speak. She was soft-spoken but still forceful and firm. Mom is sitting on the bed, gazing at me worriedly, as if she fears for my safety. By the door, Dad steps closer to the bed with his arms crossed, giving a look with mixed emotions. I can feel my face warm up as I mutter the words I haven't spoken in a long time.

"Mom? Dad?" They exchange concerned glances, and lean in closer to me. I can feel my face flush as Dad places his hand on my forehead. Like a mouse, I scurry out of the bed and retreat to the nearest corner of the room with my hands raised. I'm not sure what made me do that but I don't want them to ever touch me again. I can't handle it.

"Mia, it's us," Dad's voice becomes deeper, still familiar though. When I lower my hands, it's Master Wisp and Master Shade standing by my bed speaking to me. Maybe it was them all this time. Master Shade steps closer to me, "can you-?"

_"No!"_ I push farther back into the corner, cowering and closing my eyes. I hear a faint sigh, footsteps out of the bedroom and a door closing. When I lower my hands, only Master Wisp is in the room.

"Thank you Mia for bringing back my spirits," says Master Wisp indifferently. "I owe you. Shade wanted to speak with you earlier. You should meet up with him." She fades away into a ball of Light, leaving me alone in the lonely bedroom. I never used to hallucinate, now it seems like everywhere I look, my parents are there.

' ' '

When I search for Master Shade, I find him deep in a part of the Dark Forest I'm not familiar with. It's hard to recognize the forest now that in every inch of darkness there are teeming Shade spirits. I'm sure Master Shade must be happy about that-he and Master Wisp got their little spirits back. I know I would be; but part of me is dreading this conversation, wherever it will go.

"Good night Mia," greets Master Shade sullenly, sensing my presence without turning around. His body faces to a crystal blue lake that sparkles like gleaming crystals in the moonlight.

"Good evening," I warily stop, watching every move he makes with his flexing fingers and arm twitching. When he raises his hand, I gasp, but he simply rubs his arm.

"You don't have to stand behind me, I'm not going to harm you."

"…"

"My Mana Goddess promise." I join his side, gazing upon the gleaming lake. A mermaid sprite emerges from the surface and twirls aerially back into the water. Another one does its own dance with its long fin and falls under the water's surface. "When Light and Darkness are in balance, the lake shines. You see?"

"Yes."

"You reached a place neither Wisp nor I could enter today. A place-in between the Light and Darkness. You also were able to use Light and Darkness to stop us from waging war."

"I'm so-" he raises a hand to silence me. He's that mad, he doesn't want to hear me speak I assume.

"I will only tell you this. Normal people could not do what you did yesterday-people either belong within the Darkness or the Light. It is up to you to figure out where you truly stand and only then will you truly understand my words. I knew you since you were a baby, but you wouldn't remember that. I was your father's spirit a long time ago and swore that I would protect you when the time came." He stops to look at me. "What do you remember?"

"Nothing," I instantly answer. Whenever I remember the past, it turns grey and fuzzy and then I can't think of anything. It's better that way-the past always makes me very sad.

"The time will come when you'll remember I'm sure," he replies distantly, as if he is another time in his life. The question swimming in my head makes me shiver with anxiety.

"Why did you say that stuff about killing me earlier?"

"Wisp and I were fearful of the power within you. You don't realize it yet, but when you raised your hands to both of us, we knew that you have the power to drown us within yourself." Upon seeing my astonished expression, he continues, "I'll use a different term to appease you Mia. You can bring us to your knees and tamper with our abilities. None of that matters anymore because of what you did for us today. We are indebted to you." I feel my face warm up like a bonfire. Never was I told that I had the power to do anything that…well...powerful, if that word fits. No, he could just being saying that to make me feel better.

**Finally done! This wasn't a hard story to finish, but anyways, hit me up with some reviews.**


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